Advocates Locked Out of Court Premises in Nakuru Install New Padlocks on Gate
Protesters have organized rallies outside the entrance of Nakuru Law Courts in response to the closure of one of its gates.
On the 4th of December, Monday, legal advocates issued a warning that they might affix new padlocks to the gates, asserting that they sensed exclusion following their denial of access.
The specific gate in question had been shut the previous week, permitting entry exclusively to judges, magistrates, judicial personnel, prison officers, and detainees.
Despite unsuccessful attempts to have the gate reopened, the advocates proceeded to attach new padlocks to it.
“Police officers are not the officers of the court, but they can come to reinforce us to reopen the gate. Judicial officers are not the officers of the court, they are under us. We have never been locked out unilaterally by one person.
The option is for the presiding judge to come here and open the gate peacefully, or the law society of Kenya, which is here and are officers of the court, can proceed and open the gate, then install new padlocks so that we shall be opening for them. Now that they are late, we have installed our padlocks, and we shall be opening for them every morning.,” lawyer Kipkoech Ngetich said.
Ngetich emphasized the significance of lawyers’ access to the court, asserting that it was crucial, and advocated for the opening of the gate to the general public.
